Coroner cites ‘lack of understanding’ with lithium-ion batteries after e-bike fire caused resident to fall to death

This is because there was no British or European standard to control the sale of such items in the UK.

She added: “I am aware that other coroners have written similar reports but this only goes to emphasise that preventable deaths continue.”

The coroner wrote to the Department for Transport’s head of private e-scooter regulation, the chief executive of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and the mayor of the West of England urging them to intervene.

All organisations were contacted for a response, and Bristol City Council declined to comment.

The Department for Transport did express its “sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Oryakhel”.

“Action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you have the power to take such action,” she said.

Ms Voisin set a deadline of 12 September for responses.

Avon Fire and Rescue confirmed that it received a 999 call at about 2.20am on 25 September and subsequently attended a fire on the 16th floor, which was contained within the flat.

A fire scene investigation confirmed that the electric bike and its charging equipment were the only possible sources of ignition.

The government has created a cross-Whitehall taskforce on e-bike batteries, and has taken steps to ensure dangerous and non-compliant products are removed from the market.

At the same time, the OPSS has commissioned research from the Warwick Manufacturing Group to understand the root causes of fires and explosions related to the lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes and e-scooters.

Fire England has also published advice for people to stay safe when charging bikes and scooters at home.

Inside Housing has covered a number of coroner reports recently, including another warning issued to the housing secretary about the use of fixed window restrictors after a resident fell from the open window of his 16th-floor flat.

Alison Mutch, senior coroner for Manchester South, sent a prevention of future deaths report to former housing secretary Michael Gove at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in April.

It came after the coroner opened an inquest into the death of an L&Q resident who died on 26 August 2023 on the concourse of Stretford House, Chapel Lane in Stretford.

During the course of the investigation, which concluded with an inquest in March, a post-mortem examination conducted by a consultant pathologist found that the man died as a consequence of multiple injuries.